Writing guide for the blind



M. M. ERICKSON 2,529,005

WRITING GUIDE FOR THE BLIND Nov. 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2,1947 0 o o 0 .0"- o o o I o 0 9 0 Q 0 270 'ZJL 0 Q o if o n o 26 29K 0 oo 77 o Q o O o l 0 Q o o a 2 2 0 Q o O Q Q o O o 0 o O D o. O o 0 Z 0 o9 7 I I 2 .70- J/ /2 m M if uvmqron a rf/e MM. Ewe/war; Y I

1 M. M. ERICKSON ,00

WRITING GUIDE FOR THE BLIND Filed May 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Shet 2 PatentedNov. 7, 1 950 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE. 1 V 2,529,005 Q 1 I Q WR I TING GUI DE FonrHE BL ND' Myrtle M. Erickson, Longview, Wash. ApplicationMay 2 1947, Serial No. 145,393 7 beutilized without 'materiallydeflecting the 7 guide bar, A still further object of the invention isthe provision of means whereby the guide bar may vbe moved downwardly inprogressive equal steps bytransverse movement thereof.

"Another object of the invention is the provision of :a device of thischaracter which is 'sturdy and durable construction, reliable andefiicient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, as.well as simple to use.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as thedescription of the invention proceeds, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of thisinventive concept. 'In the drawings: 3 Figure 1 is a top plan view ofoneform of device embodying'features of the instant invention, partsthereof being broken away. m urez is a sectional view takensubstantially along the line 2-2 of Figurel, as viewed in the directionindicated by the arrows.

Figure'B is a sectional view taken 'substan tiallyalon'g the line 3-'3of Figure l, as viewed "in the direction indicated by the arrows,certain portions of the apparatus being disclosed in the differentpositions of adjustment. Figure 4 is a perspective viewof aconstructional,-detail. r I

Figure 51s a fragmentary perspective view of a further constructicnaldetail; I M-Similar'reference characters refer to similar :partsthroughout the several views'of the draw- .1ngs.- I m Referring now tothe drawings in detail, the device ofthe instant invention comprises awriting-board generally-indicated at I0, preferably of recta ngularshape, and, including a, central, smooth writing surface II defined bylongitudinally extending gui'dez bars 12. Paper is adapted to bepositioned on the writing space H and secured thereon, as by springclips I3, while the board may be utilized'in horizontal position, ormaybe elevated at an angle by means of an extending portion I4 hingedlysecured, as by hinges I5, to the upper edge, of the board.- 1 guidemember and -spacer generally indipated at'IG is adaptedto be positionedfor longitudinal, movement between the guide bars I2, and takesfthe formof two side plates I1, adapted in slidable engagement with theinnersides of 3'Claims. (Cl.3538) guide bars I2, connected bytransversely extending plate-like members I8, connected ontheir "undersides'by a connecting strip I9, the bars I8 being spaced to form achannel within which is 'movably positioned a spacer bar 20. The spacerbar 20 is provided at a mid-point-witha handle 2|, to facilitatelongitudinal-movement thereof in the channel between themembers I8. Theouterextremities of bar 20 extend a substantial distance beyond theguide members I2, and are provided on the under side of their extremities with specially constructed spacing deflector members 25. Eachof the'members 25 includes an arcuate cam surface 26, concave withrespecttc the'top of the board I0, and separated by an abuttingflange"?! from .an opposite projecting portion including an arcuate camsurface 28, which is convex with respect to the top of the board, andterminates in a point. '-The arrangement is such thatboth of the members25 at opposite extremities of the member 20 are aligned, in that bothconcave surfaces 26 are on the right side of the board, and both convexsurfaces 28 on the left, the purpose; of which arrangement will be morefully pointed out herein:- after. Exteriorly of the guide plates'or bars12, the board is provided on both sides with two spaced rows ofequidistantly spaced pins, the

rows being indicated at 30, 3I, 32 and 33; Itis "to be noted that row 3Iis staggered relative to, row 30, as is row 3."! relative to 32, thepinsof rows 30 and 32 and the pins of rows 3| and 33 being substantially inalignment. 'It is further to be noted, as best shown in Figure L thatthepins of each row are spaced apart a distance less than the width of theflanges 21,-so that lateral movement of the bar 20'may move the spacermembers 25 laterally between the rows, but the flanges 21' will limitsuch'movement to the distance between rows 30 and 3 I, and rows 32and.33.

Aguide member 35 comprised of a tension spring is extended betweenapertures 36 positioned in end plates I'I below the lowermost-10fmembers .I8, and is provided with slidable stop 'membersl3'l which maybe suitably spaced from the extremities of the spring 35 in order todefine the length of the lines. 1 c Asbest shown in Figure 5, each ofguide bars I2'is' provided on its'interior side with a channel or"groove 40, the groove being closed, as. by a block AI; at its loweriextremity. Pins 4ZJcarried adjacent the lower extremities of guideplates I'l areadapted to engage in the channels. 40'; thus holding thespacer member is and its associated guides 35 substantially flush withthewriting surface II under normal conditions, but permitting' 'pivotaltilting of 'the'same about the axis formed by pin 42 when it is desiredto release the members 25 from their associated rows of pins to permitreturning of the lspacer to the top of the board. Stop blocks 43 areprovided at the upper extremities of guide members I2 to permit initialaligning of the spacer and guide at the [start oi anew pa justed ineither flat or inclined position by means.

of the hinged portion l4, and the spacer member I6 is moved to theuppermost portion of the board, the previously described tiltingmovement about the pins 42 permitting such movement by disengaging themembers 25 from their associated rows of pins. The blind individualutilizing the device-now writes along the guide member 35, which serveseffectively to align the writing, but, due to the previously discussedflexibility, perthe insertion of depending portions of such letters asmay be necessary. When the end of the line is reached, as indicated bythe adjustable stop member 31., the handle ZI may be grasped and movedfirst to the right, and then' to the left. In effecting such movement,it will be noted that when the device is at the extreme left, as shownin Figure 1, the flange 21 of each member 25 is seated against two pinsin rows 3!; and 32, respectively. Movement of the device to the rightwill now pause engagement of the arcuate cam surface 26 with associatedstaggered pin in rows 3| and .33, ;-whi ch will serve to move the devicedownwardly. Reverse movement will now cause the arcuate cam surfaces zilto engage associated pins in rows stand 3;, thus completing the downwardmovement of the device a distance equal to the spacing between the pins,and firmly centering the spacer ata predetermined distance below the preiqus l ne,

1.1116 procedure may obviously be repeated until th pa e s filled, wheupe a n w pag may e inserted, as previously described. The blocks 4|servegas end stcps to, indicate the bottom of a page ,However, if thepaper is too short for the blocks 4| to s rve n h s m nner, the us rmust i :feelthe lower edge of the paper and calculate its rela ion tothe uide mem e 3 1 From the .ioregoing it will now be seen that theresis herein provided an improved writing devicefor the blind whichaccomplishes all the .obiects of-Ethis. invention, and others, includingmany; advantages of grea practical utility.

As many embodiments may be madeof, this inventive concept,.and as, manymodifications may bemade in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it .is to be-understoodthat allmatter herein is to beinterpreted merelyas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

-I claim:

1. AI writing guide for the blind comprising a rectangular boardhavingits upper endmounted on a supporting surface, four parallel rows ofspaced projecting pins on the upper surface of said board, a pair ofsaid rows of pins arranged along the opposite sides of said board anddefining'therebetween a writing are,a,:the pins of the respective pairsof rows being staggered, with respect to, each other and the individualPins of alternate rows of the respective pairs being in parallelalignment with the upper end of the board, an elongated guide memberdisposed across said writing area, means mounting said guide memberperpendicular to said rows of pins for sliding movement paralleltherewith, a spacer bar mounted on said guide member for reciprocalsliding movement longitudinally thereof and having its ends projectingbeyond the ends of said ,member and above said pins, adeflector on eachof the projecting ends of the bar disposed intermediate the rows of pinsof theproximate pair of WW5 for coaction successively with adjacent pinsof first one and then the'lother row of said pairs of rows at eachreciprocation of the spacer bar for imparting step by step line spacingmovement to said guide member, and a writing implement guide means onsaid member.

2. A writing guide for the blind comprising a board having a smoothupper writing surface, four parallel rows of spaced projecting pins onsaid su face of said board, a pair of said rows of pins arranged inparallel spaced relation with the other pair of said rows and definingtherebetween a writing area, th pins of the respective pairs of rowsbeing staggered with respect to each other and the individual pins ofalternate rows of the respective pairs being aligned normal to the rowsof said pins, an elongated guide member disposed across said writingarea, means mounting said guide member perpendicular to said rows-ofpins for sliding movement parallel therewith, a spacer bar mounted onsaid guide member for reciprocable sliding movement longitudinallythereof and having its ends projecting beyond the ends of said memberand above said pins, a deflector on each of the projecting ends of thebar disposed intermediate the rows of pins of the proximate pair of rowsfor coaction successively with adjacent pins of first one and then theother row of said pairs of rows at each reciprocation of the spacerbarfor imparting step by step line spacing movement to said guidemember, and a writing implement guide means on said member. 3. A writingguide for the blind comprising a rectangular board having its upper endmounted on a supporting surface, four parallel rows of spaced projectingpins on the upper surface of said board, a pair of said rows of pinsarranged along the opposite sides of said board and definingtherebetween a writing area; the pins of the respective pairs of rowsbeing stag: gered with respect to each other and the individual pins ofalternate rows of the respective pairs being in parallel alignment withthe upper end of the board, an elongated guide member disposed acrosssaid writing area, means mounting said guide member perpendicular-tosaid rows of; pins for sliding movement parallel therewith, a spacer barmounted on said guide member for reciprocal sliding movementlongitudinally thereof and having its ends projecting beyond the ends ofsaid member and above said pins, a deflector embodying apair of camportions arranged in end to end and reversed relation with respect toeach other on each of the projecting ends of the bar disposedintermediate the rows of pins of the proximate pair of rows for,coaction; successively with adjacent pins: of first one and then theother row of said pair of rows at each reciprocation of the spacer barfor imparting step bystep line spacing movement to said uide member, anda writing implement guide means on said member,

MYRTLE M. ERICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are; of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

